Welcome to Paladin's Rainbow Bridge Memorial Residency

Memories of Paladin

Paladin came to live with us on 10 Nov 98. We had been watching the old Have Gun will Travel TV shows for the past several weeks. Nellie and I both said we didn't want any more pets, so I ran the black dog off for about 2 weeks when one day I looked out the door and saw the little black dog with a food bowl standing next to our sundeck. I asked Nellie if she had bought the dog a food bowl, and she said no. We kept the little black dog and named her Paladin, Have bowl will travel. We knew that it was meant to be.

Paladin was a runner and digger. When we let her out she would look like she was running on air. We would fill in all the holes she dug and she would just dig them again so we quit trying to fill them in.

I set out in my swing every night that I was home no matter what the weather was like for the 7 years she lived with us. She loved the company, but did not want to stay in our house. She wanted her own place and she got it. We gave her our old house so she could have central heat and AC. It was her house now. The fenced lot was 150 feet X 150 feet. When I let her out to run she had 100 acres plus to explore. She also had two other dog houses in the yard so she could she could always see what was going on without having to be out in the weather.

All the neighbors liked her, even it she did run through their yards and didn't stop to say hello.

Paladin gave us all her love for 7 years, and wanted nothing in return. She adopted us from the beginning. We were the lucky ones. Paladin was the sweetest dog I have ever had or have known. She never growled at anyone and only barked when she saw something that needed attention. She loved to chase rabbits, deer and sometimes the cows.

She became deaf and never had any idea anyone was talking to her, she only came running if she saw you. Anyone could walk up beside her and she looked like she would jump out of her fur when she realized someone was beside her.

Now the old house is empty and the yard looks bare. I still find myself looking for her when I come home. I know that someday I will see her at the Rainbow Bridge waiting for me to take her for a walk.